The activist fighting against police violence and racism delivered a loud speech outside the court building, openly admitting that five of her brothers are currently in jail, some only serving a few months, others doing time for years. Although the Traore clan s extensive criminal record includes armed robbery, rape, drug abuse, and defamation charges, many politicians of a far-left party publicly spoke out for the activist, who boasts a populous criminal family.

Assa Traore s court hearing was to take place on 12 April in Paris where, for the first time, she could have confronted the three officers she accuses of killing her brother Adama in 2016, who was caught while fleeing from a police check. V4NA reported in early March that Assa Traore lost the lawsuit filed against her by the three officers, who arrested her young brother. She was primarily sued for accusing the officers of murder, but also for disclosing their identities on social media. Between 19 September and 19 November 2019, the young woman published five posts – referring to the officers by their full names – under a social media account named „La verité pour Adama” (Justice for Adama), dedicated to the memory of her deceased brother. The court ruled that Assa Traore had violated the officers  right to be presumed innocent and ordered her to pay 4000 euros in compensation to them.

On Monday, 12 April, Assa Traore appeared in court but she did not meet the officers face to face, as the trial was postponed and is expected to take place in early May. Nevertheless, the anti-police activist has summoned her supporters to gather outside the court building, where she delivered a loud speech, condemning the legal abuse her family has suffered. She explained that now she is the one to face legal proceedings as her brothers – who know every prison in the Ile-de-France region – are behind bars.

There was, however, good reason to incarcerate the Traore brothers.

Her deceased brother Adama was prosecuted a total of 17 times for robbery and drug abuse from 2007 until his death in 2016. He is also known to have raped his cellmate in prison.

Yacouba was sentenced to 18 months in prison for beating up an inmate who accused Adama of rape. Later, he was handed another 3 years for thrashing a bus driver and setting the vehicle on fire.

Samba was sentenced to 4 years for armed robbery, suspended for 18 months. Bagui was sentenced to 30 months for violence against women, and Serene was given 4 months for defamation of the mayor of Beaumont-sur-Oise village. Youssouf was sentenced for 6 months for issuing death threats against police officers, suspended for three months. Assa Traore s also has a criminal record consisting of four reports filed against her for alleged defamation.

Despite the fact that the Traore clan is full of criminals, some politicians still openly side with them. Several members of the radical leftist La France Insoumise (France unbowed) party ensured Assa of their support on Twitter.

Clementine Autain, party representative in the 11^th election district in Seine-Saint-Denis departement tweeted that she supported Ms Traore, who stood for justice and equality which the whole society needs.

Her fellow party member Eric Coquerel wrote that the pressure exerted by the gendarmes on Assa was highly political, and called on sympathisers to go to the courthouse and support Ms Traore during her trial on 6 and 7 May.

The opinions expresseb by the leftist politicians have triggered a considerable backlash. Several users tweeted that the members of the Traore family, who the party defends, are in fact criminals. Author and essayist Eric Naulleau empasized that Bagui was convicted of extortion with violence against vulnerable women, and reminded the party s lawmakers that „being on the left (and a feminist) means protecting the weakest, not supporting their torturers.”

The most shocking element of the story, however, is that, Assa Traore has yet to remove the names of the three gendarmes she accuses of murder from the Verite pour Adama Facebook page, despite the ruling issued by the court on 26 February. Ironically, although the court ordered her to remove the entry, she suffered no legal consequences for her failure to comply. Moreover, a few days later she even republished the names of the three gendarmes.